Media Laws

Media Laws

This is an important time for the media industry in Timor-Leste as the media laws for the country are in the process of development. This pages aims to give you up-to-date information on the media laws and notify you of any developments in regards to the process and approval process. We will also endeavour to give you access to any resources and news in relation to the media laws in Timor-Leste.

TL Media Laws – Update May 31:

On 6 May the National Parliament gave final approval to the Media Law. La’o Hamutuk is asking the President to veto this law.

Follow links to access copies of the Media Law in English and Portuguese;

TL Media Laws – Update Jan 31:

ARKTL has secured a copy of the final draft of the Media Laws that has been approved and is now waiting to be brought to Parliament. There has been concern about the contents of this draft due to the Government’s refusal to make this final draft public.

Please feel free to comment; dialogue about this new draft is encouraged. We are currenlty in the process of getting an English translation of the Media Laws – watch this space!

TL Media Laws – Update Dec 5:

The final draft of the media laws for Timor-Leste has been approved and is now waiting to be brought to Parliment. However there is concern about the contents of this draft due to the Government’s refusal to make this final draft public.

The media laws were drafted in consultation with the Journalist community and public. The Journalist community is represented by the elected body ‘Team 5’ that worked with a Government legal advisor to develop the draft media Laws. ‘Team 5’ is made up a group of five journalists including Salvador Ximenes, Suzana Cardoso, Mauzinho Lopes and Otelio Ote and ARKTL President Prezado Ximenes. Government held a Conference in April 2013 to hear public feedback on the draft media laws.

At the recent Journalist Congress the Code of Ethics was approved and is now published on the ARKTL website. The draft of the constitution for the Press Council is still under review.

The final draft of the media laws are set to be approved by Parliament early 2014.